Dear Mr President, Jean-Claude Mignon, Mr Secretary General Thorbjørn
Jagland, distinguished members of the Parliamentary Assembly, ladies
and gentlemen, it is a great honour and special pleasure for me
to address this Assembly in the Palais de l’Europe on behalf of
the first Albanian chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of
the Council of Europe.

I would like to start by extending to you, Mr President, my
most hearty congratulations on your election as a member of the
National Assembly of France. We are very pleased that you will continue
the successful chairing of this Assembly in the years to come. I
would also like to cordially thank you for the words and hospitality
that you have offered me and my delegation during our stay in Strasbourg.
I avail myself of this opportunity to express my profound appreciation
to Secretary General Jagland for the excellent job that he is doing
at the helm of the Council of Europe.

Secretary Jagland and his team have been carrying out important
reforms that provide this prestigious Organisation with the necessary
impetus to move ahead towards its objectives.

“The Council of Europe has always stood by Albania since the fall of Europe’s worst dictatorship”

Ladies and gentlemen, honourable members of the Parliamentary
Assembly, 20 years ago, on 6 May 1992, in my first official visit
outside my country, as the first President of Albania – it had just
come out of the worst dictatorship in Europe after the Second World
War – I presented before this honourable Assembly the will of my
government and of my nation for Albania’s membership of the Council
of Europe. This dream, which Albania has nourished for many decades,
came true in May 1995. Today, my country leads the Committee of Ministers
for the first time.

(The speaker continued in French)

He was at home within the walls of the Assembly. As a member
of the Council of Europe, while opposition leader, he had shared
his most exhilarating and important moments as a politician. Today
was an historical moment. He was here as Prime Minister of Albania,
one of the youngest democracies in Europe, which had assumed the
chair after the United Kingdom, the oldest democracy. The UK deserved
cordial congratulations on the success of its presidency. This year
was the centenary of independence for Albania. After suffering splits,
ethnic cleansing, and Orwellian dictatorships, it was now a free
nation. To be president of the oldest temple of European democracy
was the diamond in the centennial crown of independence.

Only 22 years ago, Albania had prohibited rights and freedoms
and enforced atheism. Now, human and minority rights were respected,
with religious tolerance for all, Albania was a member of NATO and
was aiding the mission in Afghanistan, and its citizens did not
require visas to travel in Europe.

While Albania used to be one of the poorest countries in Europe,
with per capita income of only $204 per annum, citizens now had
medium-high incomes. The country was not developed per se but had
the same child, maternal and general mortality rates as well as
Internet, education and health access, as many developed countries.
In 2001, the number of houses per capita was lower than in any other
European nation, but in the last 10 years it had reached the level
of developed countries and had surpassed five EU and OECD countries. In
fact, despite the crisis, Albania had maintained considerable growth:
22% over five years, four times the average growth rate in the region.
With this, Albania was building one of the most modern infrastructures
in the region. It was also attracting significant numbers of tourists,
with 2 million visitors last year.

(The speaker continued in English)

Albania is fully engaged in the process of integration into
the EU as the best project for its future and the future of Albanian
citizens. My government has always considered it a merit-based process.
Certain internal problems have slowed it down for some time. However,
those problems are finally being solved and the country will continue
to press ahead vigorously towards the EU. The Presidential Committee
of the Council of Europe has brought a real contribution to solving
those problems in my country and I am really grateful. We have come
a long way and still a bumpy road lies ahead for us, but the truth
is that this is the success story of freedom.

In the last two decades, on our difficult but successful journey
of building freedom and its values – democracy, the rule of law,
an open society that respects human and minority rights – we have
always had the valuable and important support of our loyal and outstanding
partner, the Council of Europe and its institutions. I take this opportunity
to express my deepest gratitude.

Distinguished members of the Parliamentary Assembly, it is
for me a great occasion to reiterate the full determination of Albania’s
chairmanship to work relentlessly in the next six months in close
co-operation with the member states, this Assembly and the Secretary
General to further promote and enhance the common values and objectives
of our Organisation. Those common and universal values of freedom,
human rights, democracy, the rule of law and the free market, together
with our people’s aspirations for peace and prosperity, are the
strong bonds that unite our countries in spite of their unique and
distinct historical, cultural, linguistic and religious traditions
– hence the motto “United in diversity”, chosen by our chairmanship.

No topic could have been more appropriate at this time of
major economic and financial crisis and other challenges than “Democracy
at risk: the role of citizens and of the State today”, for these
crises are often followed by the emergence of populist and extremist
trends, not to mention the reappearance of xenophobia and even renewed
racism and nationalism. This is why we welcome the decision to implement
some of the important recommendations of the report, “Living together
– combining diversity and freedom in the 21st century” as a clear
indication of our firm determination to address any challenge that
European democracy must face nowadays as regards the full respect
of human rights. I take this opportunity to express my utmost gratitude
and that of the Albanian chairmanship to the group of eminent persons
for its commitment and professionalism in drafting this report.

To raise awareness of the significant findings of the report,
the Albanian chairmanship is organising a high-level conference
at which the following topics will be discussed: diversity in Europe
as an asset for the future; promoting intercultural dialogue – a
task for society as a whole in Europe and beyond; and the role of
education and the contribution of young people towards promoting
mutual understanding, tolerance and better integration into society.

In this context, we hope to strengthen the dialogue and co-operation
with the countries of north Africa and the Mediterranean. The so-called
Arab Spring is also a field where the Albanian chairmanship and
my country intend to offer their modest contribution. We strongly
support the democratic aspirations of those nations. We believe
that they can find in the abundant experience of the Council of
Europe and its related organisations helpful models for their historic
undertaking of transforming their countries and societies towards
more democracy, the rule of law, civil society and higher standards
of human and minority rights.

That is why we fully support Secretary General Jagland’s initiative
for more democracy and stable societies in the region neighbouring
Europe. In close co-operation with key partners and through well-designed
practical co-operation, this initiative could become an important
framework for real progress in this direction. We trust that the
Council of Europe possesses all necessary mechanisms in this respect.

I am also very pleased to note that this part-session will
discuss the report on the political transition in Tunisia, the cradle
of the Arab Spring. We commend the Secretariat for preparing the
Neighbourhood Co-operation Priorities 2012-14, especially with Morocco
and Tunisia. We strongly appreciate the role of the Venice Commission
and its valuable advice on the Tunisian constitution, and the adoption
of legislation implementing the constitutions in Morocco and Tunisia.
These reforms are essential for bringing the national legislation
of these countries into line with international human rights standards.

The religious dimension of the intercultural dialogue is an
important element in the democratic traditions of Europe. The Government
of Albania adopted the National Strategy for Intercultural Dialogue
in the framework of the Alliance of Civilisations and has established
an intergovernmental mechanism for its implementation. The 2012
Exchange on the Religious Dimension of Intercultural Dialogue will
be our further contribution in this direction.

We Albanians are a small nation, but we are bearers of a great
message – the message of exemplary inter-religious respect and tolerance
par excellence, which is a centuries-old tradition of our nation.
By presenting this valuable tradition of Albanian society, we aim
to raise awareness of stereotypes and prejudices against the different
religions, which are often used for purposes of indoctrination and
conflict creation.

Other priorities of our chairmanship focus on the further
consolidation of functional democracy, including that at the regional
and local levels, and the rule of law throughout the continent.
Following the well-established tradition of former chairmanships,
we will continue to press ahead with the political reform of the
Organisation and the Interlaken/Izmir/Brighton agenda for a more
efficient system of protection of human rights, in particular with
regard to reducing the burden on the Court.

Promoting closer dialogue with international organisations,
particularly with the EU and supporting its enlargement in the western
Balkans, is another important priority of our chairmanship.

The Albanian chairmanship will pay close attention to issues
pertaining to young people and their education with respect to the
values of the Council of Europe. To this end, a special event with
youngsters has been planned to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust
and those who put their lives, and the lives of their families,
at risk to save Jews. As you know, Albania is probably the only
country in Europe that sheltered, protected and saved its Jews during
the Second World War and the dark years of the Holocaust. The number of
Jews in Albania was many times higher at the end of the war than
it was at the war’s beginning. You will become more familiar with
those priorities when Albanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister Haxhinasto speaks to you tomorrow.

Despite the devastating wars and painful dramas that the Balkan
peninsula has lived through, nowadays it is experiencing a time
of great effort among its peoples to achieve closer co-operation
with each other and regional and European integration. Those integration
processes have been proved the main driving force for our countries
as they pursue the path ahead. Albania maintains friendly relations
with all its neighbours and other countries in the region. We believe
that full respect for current international borders, regional co-operation and
integration, and consolidation of the rule of law and democratic
institutions represent the most secure path for building the European
future that our countries deserve.

Albania has firmly supported the dialogue between the Republic
of Kosovo and Serbia, and welcomed the EU-facilitated agreement
between those two countries. We consider their full implementation
an important factor not only for good bilateral relations between
those two countries, but for the region as a whole.

The Republic of Kosovo has turned out to be a real factor
for peace and stability in the region. The Government of Albania
greatly appreciates the significant role of EULEX and KFOR in this
respect.

On 2 July 2012, the international community will officially
withdraw from the process of observing Kosovo’s independence. This
is an undeniable success as regards the consolidation of democratic
institutions, the rule of law and respect for the rights of minorities
in this country. In all these processes, the Council of Europe has offered
valuable help. I hope and wish for further strengthening of that
co-operation, which will result in bringing Kosovo even closer to
the Council of Europe and in gaining soon its rightful place within
this institution of the democratic nations of Europe.

The Balkan peninsula is one of the richest with regard to
minorities. Therefore, expanding and strengthening their rights
will continue to remain a priority for all our countries, as well
as a condition sine qua non for peace and stability. I am fully
convinced that the best way to address their concerns and problems
is full implementation of the documents and conventions of the Council
of Europe on the rights of minorities.

To conclude, I wholeheartedly invite you all to co-operate
closely in the months ahead to give life to all those priorities,
while assuring you that the Albanian chairmanship of the Committee
of Ministers is fully committed to work hard to promote the values
of this prestigious Organisation, with the aim further to consolidate
the democratic spirit and institutions in our societies and the
rule of law, and to enhance democratic institutions at the regional
and local levels, while continuing political reform with the intention
of achieving a more efficient political organisation and a Court
that fully guarantees the highest level of human rights protection
everywhere on the continent. Let us work together to turn the Albanian
chairmanship into a success story for my country, for your countries
and for the Council of Europe. Thank you very much for your attention.

I remind them that questions must be limited to 30 seconds.
Colleagues should be asking questions and not making speeches.

The first question is from Mr Volontè, on behalf of the Group
of the European People’s Party.

Mr VOLONTÈ (Italy) (interpretation)

thanked Mr Berisha
for his speech and said that he had evoked the Arab Spring and the Balkans
with reference to religious freedom. He asked how the Mr Berisha
saw his role regarding these turbulent areas.

Mr Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania (interpretation)

thanked Mr Volontè for his question and said that he was concentrating
on the human rights of minorities. Albania was a genuine contributor
to the rights of minorities in Kosovo. There was a tradition of
mutual respect of minorities and the experience in Kosovo after
the war had been positive. Albania had a tradition of respect of
minorities which could be offered to other countries, including
those of the Arab Spring. He had encountered representatives of
Libya and other Arab countries and they had expressed interest in
Albania. Albania was a majority Islamic multi-religious country
and had demonstrated that Islam was compatible with democracy. Islam
did not have to be associated with oppressive, theocratic regimes.
Within a month, he would set-up a conference for dialogue on this
issue.

Mr SCHENNACH (Austria) (interpretation)

said that Albania
was a modern, dynamic and pleasant country which had undergone huge
reform. In the context of Albania’s centenary and its chairmanship,
he asked what was the Prime Minister’s position on the problem of
blood feuds and revenge, which were contrary to human rights and the
rule of law.

Mr Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania

Thank you for your question. I definitely have to accept that
vendetta was a tradition in the old codes of my nation, but it has
almost been archived into the past. There are still cases; they
have not been reduced to zero, but they are very few. Last year,
the chairman of the United Nations human rights body investigated
the matter and found that the phenomenon did exist, but that it
was much smaller than had been proclaimed. If you ask me what the
remedy should be, I would say that it is to strengthen the rule
of law. Allow me to give you a statistic. When I came to power in
2005, the population of our prisons was 1 800; it is now around
5 000. Criminality in our country is lower than the average for
the European Union, but the law is enforced. The best way to prevent
crime is to enforce the law. I am happy that we do not have the
death penalty, but we have other sentences that will help to make
this unhelpful old habit disappear.

EARL OF DUNDEE (United Kingdom)

Prime
Minister, you have already referred to the problems of the western
Balkans. During your country’s chairmanship of the Committee of
Ministers, what plans do you have further to assist stability in
the region of south-east Europe?

Mr Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania

The greatest leverage for our nation and our countries is
EU integration. When I look at the situation 12 to 15 years ago,
I see a tragic recent past, but today all those nations are seeking
to work with each other and to have a common future. In my humble
opinion, that is because all those nations see EU integration as
the best way forward. That is why it will be crucial for those nations
to join the EU. The last agreement between Serbia and Kosovo was
a great success. It is going to be implemented, and it will provide
a solution – not a total solution, but an important one none the
less – with big consequences for a small region. In my opinion,
EU integration is the best way to consolidate peace and stability
in the western Balkans and in the Balkans as a whole.

Mr XUCLÀ (Spain) (interpretation)

said that he had
twice visited Albania and appreciated the democratic process that
was going on there. The opposition had not played its full part
for some months. He asked when this situation would be normalised
and about representation in the Assembly.

Mr Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania

Thank you for your question. It is true that after the 2009
elections the opposition adopted a boycott – or half-boycott – because
they were very disheartened about the results of those elections,
even though international observers stated that the elections met
most OSCE standards and that there was no evidence of the results
being manipulated or irregular counting. It took some time, because the
Albanian opposition is pro-European Union – it is not at all anti-European.
The problem was that the leader of the opposition thought that blocking
the government would increase the opposition’s political capital.
Local elections were held, in which the Council of Europe was deeply
involved in helping – as a matter of fact, the Presidential Committee
and the resolution drafted in this place were very helpful. The
opposition is now in parliament. Last October, we reached an agreement,
and it is almost entirely honoured by both sides. We are finalising
electoral reform in a very consensual spirit. I am happy to inform
you that this reform started in December, and until now the committee
concerned has discussed only those amendments proposed by the opposition,
because the opposition asked for this initiative and we agreed to
it. Indeed, we will never tire of offering the opposition this consensual
spirit.

Mr PETRENCO (Republic of Moldova)

Prime Minister, thank
you for your address. On behalf of the Group of the Unified European
Left, but also as the co-rapporteur on Albania, I would like to
ask you a question. Your speech was quite optimistic. Indeed, many
things have been done in Albania to secure EU candidate status. At
the same time, there are a lot of problems that need to be solved,
such as the high level of corruption, and electoral reform. However,
we would like to remind you of our colleague Dick Marty’s report
on the trafficking of human organs from Kosovo during the conflict.
What is your position on this issue nowadays and how will you co-operate
with the investigation into those events?

Mr Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania

Thank you for your question. First, corruption is definitely
the “mater and matrix” of all wrongs in a free country. That is
why we are committed to fighting against it. We have achieved some
very important results in fighting against corruption, and although
we have not eradicated it, my government has improved procurement
and collected more taxes – around $8 billion – even though we have decreased
taxes by a half.

With regard to Dick Marty’s report, officially, I am very
interested in investigating every single accusation involving crimes
against humanity or war crimes. No national difference should exist.
Saying that, however, I regretted what were some genuinely racist
nuances in that report – and when I learnt that it was largely written by
Vukcevic, I regretted it even more. However, this has not blocked
at all what I have said to the investigation, and our parliament
has put in place a special law from your colleagues that gives all
authority to the EULEX investigating team in my country. They drafted
the law and we voted for it as it was. This matter must be thoroughly
investigated. That is my stand on this issue.

Mr TOSHEV (Bulgaria)

Mr Prime Minister, welcome back to our Assembly. If you remember,
when you came to address us in 1993 in your capacity as President
of Albania, I raised with you the issue of Bulgarians traditionally
living in your country. Now when you come here as Prime Minister
of Albania, I would like to raise the same issue with you. What
progress has Albania made in respect of protecting the human and
minority rights of Bulgarians traditionally living in Albania?

Mr Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania

Dear friend, I assure you that I remain – we remain – very
committed to fully respecting the Council of Europe Convention on
Minorities. In my country, we do our very best to support them –
to strengthen their identity and their ties and relations with their
own nations. We are very happy to have a number of small but shining
minorities in different areas of the country.

Mr FOURNIER (France) (interpretation)

said that he had chaired the group
on friendship with Europe, but he had concerns about Albania in
the context of European integration. Reforms were expected in the
judiciary and the media and he asked for details of the timetable
for expected reforms.

Mr Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania (interpretation)

said that he wished to re-assure Mr Fournier. He was proud
of his friendship. There were arguments about the electoral code,
but the current code was the result of a consensus. He hoped that
electoral reforms would be finished soon. Since last October, there
had been constructive co-operation between the majority party and
the opposition. Several laws had been passed. The opposition had submitted
some amendments.

Mr DÍAZ TEJERA (Spain) (interpretation)

said that he wished Albania good luck
in its chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers. He wanted to
ask about combating corruption: what could be done about this canker
on democracy?

At
the same time, hundreds and hundreds of officials are paralysed by
corruption. Corruption remains a problem to be fought, but there
is a strong fight against it. We work very closely with the GRECO
unit here, which is, in my view, the best unit in Europe. As a country,
we have met almost all but two recommendations, and I think that
one of them is very important: the removal of immunity in Albania,
which is something that must soon happen in Albania. We continue
this struggle – it is a crucial interest – but I stress that, even
through the current climate, we have managed to have around $8 billion
more in our budget than the previous government did in the same
period of time.

Mr DE BRUYN (Belgium)

I would like to mention an incident that took place last month,
when the Albanian vice-minister of defence commented on the first
ever Albanian gay parade by stating that people taking part in the
parade “should be beaten with truncheons”. The prime minister rejected
this statement as unacceptable and excessive, but I would like to
learn from Mr Berisha what exactly his government plans to do in
order to avoid homophobic remarks or even actions by members of
his government and administration. Could Mr Berisha please tell
us what will be done so that high-ranking officials respect LGBT
rights? Thank you.

Mr Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania

Thank you for your question. I believe that every citizen
has the right to have his or her sexual orientation respected. We
have introduced a very good law in this respect. We have also a
commissioner’s office to deal especially with this law. For the
first time in history, these people asked to have their parade,
which was their right. Definitely, my government stood in full support
of them and called for full tolerance. It is true that an official
made a very unhelpful statement, but there were no consequences because
the parade went very well. A very important conference against homophobia
was held two weeks ago to support anti-discrimination measures,
and it went very well. In my view, it is also very important that
if this was a taboo several years ago, it is no longer one at all.
In the media and everywhere else, these people are present, claiming
their rights and making their presence felt. So there is a positive
change, and I was really happy that the parade was peaceful, quiet
and took place without incident.

Ms ZOHRABYAN (Armenia) (interpretation)

said that Serbia had not recognised
Kosovo’s independence and asked what Mr Berisha’s stance was on
the measures taken in relation to Azerbaijan, in connection with
Nagorno-Karabakh.

Mr Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania

Our stance towards this region is the same as the Committee
of Ministers’ stance. We are looking at what kind of contribution
we can make, and the Council of Europe has offered its assistance
to build democratic institutions there and engage more in fulfilling
the commitments there.

Mr GAUDI NAGY (Hungary)

Your excellency, since 2008, 93
states have recognised Kosovo as an independent state, and my country
– Hungary – is among them. We are firm advocates of Albania being
in the EU as well. According to the principles of the UN and the
Council of Europe, the humanitarian rights of all traditional, national
communities should be ensured. Do you agree with the view that territorial
autonomy should be ensured for the Serb community living in Kosovo,
although twice as many Hungarians live in the northern part of Serbia
and Vojvodina?

Mr Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania

The Council of Europe has very much helped Kosovo in building
its own institutions and consolidating human and minority rights.
I fully support the Secretary General’s initiative and agree that
getting closer to the Kosovan authority is crucial and vital. As
you know, they are frequently talking to and working with the EU
Commission, the EU Parliament and the Secretary General of the United Nations,
and they have many reasons to work more closely with the Council
of Europe. It is fundamental that all countries accept the irreversibility
of the realities of the situation. This is crucial. Once we accept
the irreversibility of the situation, we definitely have no choice
but to talk, to hold a dialogue and to accept better standards because
of what is happening in north Mitrovica, where three Serbian communities
– there are no Albanians there – do not have peace and stability.
Serbs form the majority south of the Ibar, and live in full peace
and harmony with Albania. I believe that their rights should be
fully observed. I believe that the integrity and sovereignty of
Kosovo should not be put in question. I am optimistic, after the
important agreement that was signed between Pristina and Belgrade,
that another agreement about the whole situation will be reached. I
fully agree that it is not in the interests of Serbia or any other
country in the region to ask more than is provided by the European
Convention on Minorities, which should be the basis for the minorities
in our countries.

Mr Renato FARINA (Italy) (interpretation)

said that he was very happy that young
and dynamic Albanians were at the forefront of developments. He
was interested in the strengthening of relations between Albania
and Turkey, and wanted to know what implications this had. The Turkish
Foreign Minister had said that there might be the possibility of
a bloc against the Greek and Bulgarian bloc.

Mr Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania (interpretation)

said that Albania was traditionally friendly with Turkey,
but this was also true for Greece and Bulgaria. The contribution
of all of those countries to co-operation was appreciated. The best
project to pursue from Albania’s point of view was integration with
the European Union and he hoped that this would happen and that
Turkey would also become a member.

Mr MICHEL (France) (interpretation)

said that Albania played a very important role in the western
Balkans and he asked whether Albania’s chairmanship of the Committee
of Ministers would be used to promote appeasement both with respect
to Kosovo and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Mr Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania (interpretation)

said that inter-ethnic problems in Macedonia were the result
of other causes. Nevertheless, peace and stability were of vital
importance to the region. It was therefore necessary to promote
co-operation and mutual respect, and for the relevant accords to
be underscored.

As regards Kosovo, huge progress had been made with respect
to minorities. In the north, there was a homogeneous Serbian community,
which made the instability difficult to understand – it was clear
that nationalism was not the only factor. The Ahtisaari plan laid
out a legal framework for progress and that it should be applied
to three municipalities in northern Mitrovica, so long as manipulation
by Serbian nationalist forces could be avoided. Above all, the Kosovan
Government had a serious vision, which it was looking to implement with
the help of the European Union, the United States and the P5.

Mr AGRAMUNT (Spain) (interpretation)

said that he remembered meeting Mr Berisha
at an EU meeting in Valencia. Though the viability of Kosovo was
the primary question, he asked what was Mr Berisha’s view of the
self-proclaimed independence formula that Kosovo had used.

Mr Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania

Thank you for your question. In 1993, the former President
of the former Yugoslavia, Dobrica Cosic, who was also the founder
of modern Serbian nationalism, wrote a book in which he stated that
the only way for Serbia to get its place among the civilised and
developed nations was to get rid of Kosovo. That is very true, because
if we look at the history, we see that Kosovo was never part of Serbia.
The historic reality is different from the myth. It was given as
a punishment to the Ottoman Empire – a process that started with
San Stefano and the Berlin Congress and ended with the London Conference.

The late Robin Cook said in 1999, in the House of Commons,
when European nations sent their air forces to free Kosovo, that
they were doing nothing other than undoing what they had done wrong.
I have been in power twice, and I can assure you that in 1997 the
authorities in Belgrade had not a single project other than the partition
of Kosovo.

Rambouillet was a great effort to find a solution, but Belgrade
rejected it. As a matter of fact, Belgrade wanted partition, so
the independence of Kosovo is genuine. When Montenegro proclaimed
independence, many European friends asked me how that small country
could survive, but I said that it had survived centuries as an autonomous
nation. Now it is bringing a great contribution to peace and stability
in the region.

If we look at the history of the Balkans, we see 100 years
of efforts, uprisings, fighting and demonstrations for freedom in
Kosovo. Since it became independent, the region has got quieter
and quieter. All but a few free nations have recognised its independence,
and the court in The Hague ruled in favour of its independence.

If we look back at the former Yugoslavia, we see that the
province of Kosovo had cultural accord and veto rights. It twice
chaired the rotating presidency of the former Yugoslavia. It had
no reason not to be independent, and I hope that, as a great friendly
country, Spain will send missions. You are making a great contribution
there, but more missions are necessary to look at the new reality
that is growing there.

Mr NAGY (Hungary)

Dear Prime Minister, I congratulate you on the enormous progress
that Albania has achieved, both politically and economically, in
the last two decades. It is remarkable that the Albanian economy has
not ceased to grow even during recent years, thus presenting an
interesting example for many European countries. Could you give
us a brief summary of the sources of Albania’s impressive economic
performance? How does your government handle the impact of the international
financial crisis?

Mr Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania

I am a low-tax man. When I started politics, I knew nothing
about the economy, but I was a staunch believer in and follower
of Ronald Reagan. He inspired me. He wrote that the money in the
accounts of private people is worth as much as the money in the
accounts of the government. Therefore, I gave a low fiscal burden
to my citizens – and it worked. My country soon became a two-digit
growth country. Later, once back in power, I went back to low taxes.
We implemented 10% profits tax, 10% corporate tax, 15% social security
contributions and so on. That great relief doubled and tripled business
activity in my country. I also worked hard to free business from
bureaucratic burdens. First, we are one of the 10 smallest administrations
in the world per capita. Secondly, we are one of the 10 most short-handed
governments with regard to businesses. We try. When I look at this
crisis, I believe that the private sector will drive countries out of
it, and it is vital to find a way to help it because the public
sector is very modest.

THE PRESIDENT (translation)

Thank you.
We must now conclude the questions to Mr Berisha. On behalf of the Assembly,
I thank you most warmly for your address and for the answers you
have given to questions.